Trojans hold off Bucs' late run

Tom Grady

Saturday

Jan 25, 2014 at 12:17 AM

SHALLOTTE | The West Brunswick boys basketball team held off a late Laney rally Friday night to pull out a 49-44 victory.
With the result, the Trojans improved their standing in the Mideastern Conference, at 5-2 and 12-4 overall, as the slate moves into the second half.
The Buccaneers finished off a 12-3 run by the 2:23 mark of the final period on a drive by C.J. Kirchoff, turning a 38-30 deficit into a 42-41 lead.
But the Trojans regained control and hit just enough from the line in the final quarter (6-of-10) to close out the win.
"It just came down to toughness," West Brunswick coach Eric Davis said. "The last two games we didn't feel like we played our best.
"The kids know we didn't play our best, but we find a way to win. And that's what tough teams do."
Gray Cheers again paced the West Brunswick offense with 15 points and Saadiq Johnson added 11. Cheers ended up wearing three different jerseys in the final quarter after officials spotted blood stains on his uniform.
Kirchoff paced all scorers with 20 points, including four of his team's seven 3-pointers on the night. Laney teammate Kirby Kealon added 12.
"We stiffened when we needed to and got some big stops down the stretch and made some free throws down the stretch," Davis said.
West Brunswick came out on a tear to start the second half, and on the heels of a 12-3 run, grabbed a 36-25 lead by the midway point of the third quarter.
The Trojans used a 7-0 run to start the second quarter to build a 20-14 lead by the midway point of the frame.
But the Buccaneers (9-10, 3-4 Mideastern) stayed close in the first half, helped by six 3-pointers, and went into the break trailing 24-22.
Laney will try to rebound at South Brunswick on Tuesday, while the Trojans will visit South Brunswick on Jan. 31.

GIRLS
Laney 62, West Brunswick 20
Brianna Baham poured in 22 points for the Buccaneers, who improved to 17-2 overall and 6-1 in Mideastern Conference play.
Teammate Tiana Edwards finished with 11 points, all in the first half, before Laney coach Sherri Tynes began to pull deep from her bench.
The Trojans, who were missing two players due to injury and illness, got 10 points from McKenzie Benton and a game-high eight rebounds from both Leilani Emile and Myyah Brown.

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